Westerns and American Culture, 1930-1955

"Many people have fond memories of Friday nights and Saturday afternoons spent watching cowboy stars chase villains across the the silver screen or help heroines out of harm's way. Over 2,600 Westerns were shot between 1930 and 1955 and they became a defining part of American culture." "By focusing on the idea that Westerns were one of the vehicles by which one learned the ways of social relationships, this work examines how these movies reflected American life and culture during that quarter century.". "Chapters discuss such topics as the ways that Westerns included current events in film plot and dialogue, reinforced the role of Christianity in American culture, reflected the emergence of a strong central government, and mirrored attitudes towards private enterprise. Also covered is how Westerns represented racial minorities, women, and Indians."--BOOK JACKET.